Mop and method of making same



Dec. 18, 1962 R. J. LINDSTROM 3,068,505

MOP AND METHOD OF MAKlNG SAME Filed Feb. 3, 1961 INVENTOR. ROBERT J.LINDSTRAM BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofitice 3,068,505 PatentedDec. 18, 1962 MGP AND METHIED OF MAKING SAME Robert J. Lindstrom, ZephyrMfg. 00., 469440 W. 2nd St, Sedalia, Mo.

Filed Feb. 3, 1961, er. No. 86,885 7 Claims. {CL -229) This inventionrelates to mops and the method of making same, and more particularly tomops such as deck mops and the like, and to the fastening and retainingof mop heads of yarn, string or the like on handles there for.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a novelmop structure and method of making same to positively fasten and retaina looped mop head or body to one end of an elongate handle to form adeck mop or the like; to provide an efiicient method of securing mopheads to handles and retain the yarn or string or other fabric of thehead at the point of fastening against movement relative to the handle;to provide such a structure having a compact looped head below theterminus of the handle with a protector sleeve or cap to prevent damageto base boards and the like adjacent to areas to be mopped; and toprovide a mop structure that is economical to manufacture, eflicient inuse and that is sturdy and capable of long life without loosening of thefastening of the head to the handle.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a mop constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through connected portions ofthe handle and head.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the handle and fasteningstructure taken on the line 33, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the handle and sleevetaken on the line 44, FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the mop head fabricand retainer prior to application to a handle.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view illustrating the step of applying themop head to a handle FIG. 7 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 6after prongs on the mop head retainer are anchored in the handle.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 7 with the loop of theretainer clamped to clamp the fabric of the mop head to the handle.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The numeral 1 generally designates a mop such as a deck mop or the likegenerally consisting of an elongate handle 2 formed of suitable materialsuch as wood or the like, a mop head 3 and a sleeve or cap 4 on thehandle with a portion extending over the adjacent or looped end of themop head. The mop head 3 preferably consists of a plurality of strandsof yarn, cotton cord, strands of sponge-like-material, string or othersuitable fabric, andhaving a length substantially twice the lengthdesired from the end or lower terminus 5 of the handle 2 and the end.

6 of the mop head remote from said handle.

A retainer 7 is used to secure the mop head to the legs 9 may beslightly different in length so the prongs are not aligned. Theretainer, prior to application to the handle, is preferablysubstantially as illustrated in FIG. 5, with the closed end or loopportion 8 extending for approximately three-fourths of a circle and thenturned outwardly as at 11 to provide diverging legs 9 with the inwardlyturned prongs 10 on the free ends thereof, said prongs preferably beingarranged relative to the legs whereby each prong extends inwardly at anangle with the respective leg in the nature of degrees. One prong ispreferably beveled as at 12 on the side remote from the loop 8 and theother prong is beveled as at 13 on the side toward the loop whereby eachof the prongs have sharpened, inner ends 14. The loop or closed endportion 8 of the retainer is of a suitable size to receive themid-portions of all of the lengths of string or strands of the mop headtherein with the strands of the head providing a snug fit in said loop.

In the illustrated structure, the handle 2 is substantially cylindricaland preferably has a flat end 15 and diametrically opposed grooves 16extending longitudinally of the handle from said flat end, the groovesbeing of a size to receive the legs 9 of the retainer therein and of adepth slightly less than the diameter of the material forming said legs.The handle also has transverse grooves or recesses 17 extending thereinfrom the surface 18, there preferably being two such recessesdiametrically opposed in the handle for receiving teeth or lugs 19 ofthe sleeve 4, as later described. The recesses 17 are spaced from theflat end 15 a distance greater than the length of the legs 9 or thegrooves to receive same.

A sleeve 4 preferably formed of non-corrosive material having someflexibility, such as polyethylene or other suitable synthetic resin,consists of a cylindrical portion 20 having a bore 21 that is a snug fiton the handle, said cylindrical portion preferably having the teeth orlugs 19 at one end to engage in the recesses 17 with the cylindricalportion being of a length to extend slightly beyond the flattened end 15of the handle. The sleeve has an outwardly curved generally bell-shapedportion 22 that extends over the loop portion of the head to compactsame and form a cap therefor to protect against damage to base boards orother adjacent structures and also prevent the retainer 8 at the end ofthe handle from contacting the surface being mopped. It is preferablethat the bell-shaped portion 22 have flutes or other contour 23 both foran attractive appearance and also to provide stiffness longitudinally ofthe bell-shaped portion and flexibility circumferentially thereof tospread for accommodating larger hanks of yarn whereby the same structuremay be used for different size mops.

In making a mop constructed as described, the strands or yarn of the mophead are moved through the loop portion of the retainer 7 and saidretainer positioned with the closed end portion 8 against a plunger 24and the free ends of the legs 9 engaged by plungers or rams 25 and 26.

The handle 2 is moved to position the flat end 15 at the tion the ram-s25 and 26 are moved to bend the legs as at 27 toward each other and intothe grooves 16 of the handle, driving the prongs 10 into the handle withthe beveled portions of the prongs causing said prongs to beclenchedinto the handle as illustrated in FIG. 2 whereby the prongs 10 and bendsat 27 cooperate to help hold the retainer secured to the handle. Thegrooves 16 may be formed in the handle by pressing the legs f thereinduring assembly operation if desired. Then, while the rams 25' and 26hold the legs of the retainer in place, as illustrated in FIG. 8, theram 24 is moved toward the handle to bend the closed or looped end ofthe retainer inwardly to provide a reverse bend 28 therein toward thehandle to tightly clamp the fabric, yarn or strand between the closedend of the retainer and the fiat end of the handle. The rams 24, 25 and26 are their retracted and the sleeve 4 moved over the handle toward thernop head, stretching the cylindrical portion of the sleeve over thehandle and legs 9, the movement continuing until the lugs 19 engage inthe recesses 17 to retain the sleeve in place whereby the sleeve forms adecorative protector cap over the looped portion of the mop head andalso provides a projector over the legs of the retainer that furthertends to hold the legs and prongs thereof in assembled relation to thehandle, thereby providing a reinforcement and a neat finish to thearticle.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described oneform of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A mop comprising, an elongate handle, a head of fibrous strands atone end of said handle, a retainer member of wire having a loop portionextending around the strands of the head midway the length thereof withlegs extending therefrom and terminating in inwardly turned sharpenedprongs extending into the handle in crimped relation with the strands ofthe head tightly held between the loop portion and the handle, said loopportion of the retainer remote from the handle being bent toward thehandle in a reverse bend of substantial depth to compress the strands ofthe head between the bent loop portion and the handle, and a flexiblesleeve having a portion snugly engaging the handle over the legs andhaving a bell-shaped portion extending from adjacent the end of thehandle over the head to provide a cap therefore.

2. A mop comprising, an elongate handle, a head of fibrous strands atone end of said handle, a retainer member of wire having a loop portionextending around the strands of the head midway the length thereof withlegs extending therefrom and terminating in inwardly turned sharpenedprongs extending into the handle in crimped relation with the strands ofthe head tightly held between the loop portion and handle, said loopportion of the retainer remote from the handle being bent toward thehandle'in a reverse bend of substantial depth to compress the strands ofthe head between the bent loop portion and the handle, a flexible sleevehaving a portion snugly engaging the handle over the legs and having abell-shaped portion extending from adjacent the end of the handle overthe head to provide a cap therefor, said handle having opposed recessestherein spaced from ends of said legs, andlugs on said sleeve engagingin said handle recesses to retain the sleeve on the handle.

3. A mop comprising, an elongate handle, a head of fibrous strands atone end of said handle said handle having diametrically opposed groovesextending longitudinally thereof from said one end, a retainer member ofwire having a loop portion extending around the strands of the headmidway the length thereof with legs extending therefrom 'and terminatingin inwardly turned sharpened prongs with said legs positioned in saidlongitudinal grooves and the prongs extending into the handle in crimpedrelation with the strands of the head tightly held between the loopportion and the handle, said loop portion of the retainer remote fromthe handle being bent toward the handle in a reverse bend of substantialdepth to compress the strands of the head between the bent loop portionand the handle, and a flexible sleeve having a portion snugly engagingthe handle over the legs and having a bell-shaped portion extending fromadjacent the end of the handle over the head to provide a cap therefor.

4. A mop comprising, an elongate handle, a headof fibrous strands at oneend of said handle, said handle having diametrically opposed groovesextending longitudinally thereof from said end, a retainer member ofwire and having an open loop portion with legs extending from the loopopening and terminating in inwardly turned sharpened prongs, said loopportion extending around the head with the fibrous strands thereofextending substantially equally in opposite directions from saidretainer, the legs of the retainer lying in said grooves in the handlewith the prongs extending into the handle in crimped relation, said headbeing tightly clamped between the loop and the handle, the loop portionopposite the handle end relative to said head being bent toward thehandle in a reverse bend of substantial depth to grip the head betweensaid bent loop portion and the end of the handle, said handle havingdiametrically opposed transverse recesses therein in spaced relation tothe prongs of the retainer, a flexible sleeve surrounding the handlefrom the end thereof to beyond the legs, said sleeve having abell-shaped end extending from said handle end over said head to form acap for the portion adjacent the retainer, and lugs on said sleeveengaging in said transverse recesses to retain the sleeve on the handle.

5. A mop comprising, an elongate handle, a head of fibrous strands atone end of said handle, said handle having diametrically opposed groovesextending longitudinally thereof from said end, a retainer member ofwire and having an open loop portion with legs extending from the loopopening and terminating in inwardly turned prongs, said prongs eachbeing at an angle of less than degrees with the respective legs, saidprongs being oppositely beveled to provide sharpened ends, said loopportion extending around the head with the fibrous strands thereofextending substantially equally in opposite directions from saidretainer, the legs of the retainer lying in said grooves in the handlewith the prongs extending into the handle in crimped relation effectedin response to said beveled prongs entering the handle, said head beingtightly clamped between the loop and the handle, said loop portionopposite the handle end being bent toward the handle in a reverse bendof substantial depth to grip the head betweensaid bent loop portion andthe end of the handle, said handle having dimetrically opposedtransverse recesses therein in spaced relation to the prongs of theretainer, a flexible sleeve surrounding the handle from the end thereofto beyond the legs to said opposed transverse recesses, said sleevehaving a bell-shaped end extending from said handle end over said headto form a cap for the portion adjacent the retainer, and lugs on saidsleeve engaging in said transverse recesses to retain the sleeve on thehandle.

6. The method of making a mop comprising, inserting a plurality offibrous strands through a loop of a retainer having spaced legsextending from the. loop and terminating in inwardly turned prongs, saidplurality of fibrous strands collectively having a cross sectionsubstantially filling the loop portion or" the retainer, cutting thefibrous strands to provide the desired lengths thereof, moving an end ofan elongate handle between the legs of the retainer to compress theplurality of strands between the end of the handle and the loop of theretainer with the legs of the retainer extending generallylongitudinally of the handle, forcing said legs of the retainer towardeach other into engagement with the handle while holding the handle andthe loop of the retainer to compress the fibrous strands therebetween,the movement of the legs of the retainer into engagement with the handledriving the prongs into the handle, bending the loop portion of theretainer toward the'end of the handle while holding the legs of theretainer and the prongs thereof in the handle to provide a reverse bendin the loop portion of the retainer and clamp the fibrous strandsbetween the handle and said loop portion, and moving a sleeve having abell end on the handle to a position surrounding the end portion of thehandle to retain the legs in position with the bell-shaped portionextending over the portions of the r fibrous strands adjacent saidhandle.

7. The method of making a mop comprising, inserting a plurality offibrous strands through a loop of a retainer having spaced legsextending from the loop and terminating in inwardly turned prongs, saidplurality of fibrous strands collectively having a cross sectionsubstantially filling the loop portion of the retainer, cutting thefibrous strands to provide lengths thereof extending substantiallyequally in opposite directions from said loop of the retainer, moving anend of an elongate handle between the legs of the retainer to compressthe plurality of strands between the end of the handle and the loop ofthe retainer with the legs of the retainer extending generallylongitudinally of the handle in diametrically opposed relation thereto,forcing said legs of the retainer toward each other into engagement withthe diametrically opposed portions of the handle while holding thehandle and the loop of the retainer to compress the fibrous strandstherebetween, the movement of the legs of the retainer into engagementwith the handle driving the prongs into the handle and crimping theprongs therein, bending the loop portion of the retainer toward the endof the handle While holding the legs of the retainer and the prongsthereof in the handle to provide a reverse bend in the loop portion ofthe retainer and clamp the fibrous strands between the handle and saidloop portion, and moving a sleeve having a bell end on the handle to aposition surrounding the end portion of the handle to retain the legs inposition with the bell-shaped portion extending over the portions of thefibrous strands adjacent said handle and engaging lugs on the sleevewith recesses in the handle to retain :said sleeve in position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS780,945 -Fenton Jan. 24, 1905 1,138,922 Allen May 11, 1915 1,573,686Donahue Feb. 16, 1926 2,060,621 Jayne Nov. 10, 1936 2,299,480 HorsleyOct. 20, 1942 2,3 89,322 Olsen et a1 Nov. 20, 1945 2,673,124 Mellor Mar.23, 1954 2,870,474 K-autenberg Jan. 27, 1959

